Laughter and sunshine abound at Anderson's Summer of Fun

PLAYING THE CAT:
Henry Harding races around a ring of children after another child in a game of cat and mouse at the Anderson River Park.

Children lined up across from each other for a game of red rover in front of the scout cabin at the Anderson River Park during another day of Summer of Fun, a free day program for youth aged 5-12 operated by Anderson Parks and Recreation.

And not just a few youth come out to play.

"We have 60 today," Edy Martinez, Summer of Fun coordinator said Tuesday, June 23. "We've had more."

"The kids really like big group games with Edy, like tag or any form of that game," said staff member Laura Meyer. "The best thing is they're getting exercise and having a great time."

A variety of organizations attend the Summer of Fun to make it interesting for youth, including Anderson firefighters, policemen, tennis instructors, and a Native American dance troop.

Martinez doesn't run the show by himself, he has a group of 10 paid and volunteer staff to help corral the children.

From 9 a.m. to noon, the children play a variety of games depending on the day of the week: on Mondays and Thursdays, games and arts and crafts; on Tuesdays, nutrition and games with UC Extension; on Wednesdays, hiking at the river park; on Fridays, water games including sprinkler games.

The Summer of Fun features similar programs in the afternoon at Happy Valley Community Center and Anderson Heights Elementary School from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. every weekday except Thursday.

The program, which runs through July 31, is funded through the City of Anderson costing about $8,000 annually, Director of Parks and Recreation Ken Hartman said. Hartman added that the city has a joint powers agreement with three area school districts that nets the city $3.25 per student for a total of about $10,000 to pay for city youth recreation programs. The agreement, he said, was formed in the early 1970s.

Martinez, 25, is in his fourth summer managing the program, and he has worked closely with youth in the Anderson community for seven years, he said. Currently pursuing a degree in recreation management, Martinez mentors youth at the Anderson Teen Center and works as a teacher's aid through Shasta County Office of Education.

"Edy has been with us a long time," Hartman said. "He has been a volunteer, a paid employee, and he was also one of the founding members of the teen center."

"Whether it's mentoring youth or out here having fun, I love it all," Martinez said.

He also assists with the organization of skating competition run by the city parks department. To learn more about volunteering or attending Summer of Fun, contact 378-6656.